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Laura mulvey- Male gaze

1.
Feminism & The Male Gaze
Laura Mulvey

2.
Introduction
• Laura Mulvey – Male Gaze
Influenced by Freud & Jacques Lucan,
Mulvey sees the representation of woman
in film & literature (and therefore society in
general) as being dominated by a male
point of view. Her belief is that the world is
a patriarchy and that men have the ‘active’
roles and woman ‘passive’
To look is seen as active

3.
Traditionally
• Men play active roles
which drive the narrative
• Women play passive roles
and are seen as erotic
objects which slow the
narrative
• Men far outnumber women
• Female roles are sidelined
• Lead roles for women
scarce

5.
Male Gaze
• Two distinct modes of the male gaze of this era:
voyeuristic (an obsessive observer of sordid or
sensational subjects) and fetishistic (excessive
attention or attachment to something).
• Mulvey argued that women where given two
characters types - sexually active female &
powerless female
• Films presented images of women that were
produced simply for the gratification of male
viewers
• Various studies in the 1970s found men to be
the dominant characters and decision makers in
film and TV production

6.
Importance?
• Where women had important roles they were
far more likely to be shown as…
- frightened
- in need of protection and direction
- offering support to the male lead character(s)
- not independent or self driven
- generally weaker
- still objectified sexually
• “Women, in any fully human form, have almost
completely been left out of film….” L Mulvey

7.
Fighting Back
• Ripleys role is reflective of
feminist ideology. Throughout
the Alien series, we see her
character grow, change,
develop and mature to meet
and tackle each situation
placed before her.
• Challenges cultural norms
• Lt Ellen Ripley introduced
viewers to their first self-
reliant and successful
science-fiction heroine
• Ripley encounters difficult
situations which challenge her
femininity
• Still shown as sexual object to
both audience and characters
• She has to fight against the
patriarchal ideology of the
Company, different kinds of male
figures and of course, against the
Alien
• Distinctive references to gender
roles, especially to women's status

8.
Changes in society
• As women's roles change so does media
representation. Still objectified but also likely to be…
• Career driven
• Intelligent
• Confident
• Empowered
• Able (violent)
Remember changes may be made cynically and in
order to make money rather than change ideologies
• How many female action stars who are not attractive?

11.
• Uma Thurman represented as powerful
and dominant and independent
• Adopts male characteristics of aggression
• Not masculinised yet in masculine roles
• Use of low angles, and a masculine
performance

12.
• Conforms to Mulvey’s theory - job of seeking
revenge family is given to the female character
thus conforming to stereotypes where women
are seen to be possessed with family and
emotional
• Tight outfit allows objectification
• Voyeuristic pleasures by watching Thurman on
her killing rampage
• Remember male director/industry may still mean
male ideologies

15.
TV Drama Example
• Gene Hunt (TV
Detective from
Life on Mars, set
in 1970’s
Britain) talking
about politics:
'THERE WILL NEVER BE A WOMAN PRIME MINISTER AS LONG AS I
HAVE A HOLE UP MY A**E.'

16.
Misogyny
• How would you define the term misogyny based
on what you have just seen?
• Can you think of any other examples of
misogyny that you may have seen in any media
text or simply experienced in everyday life?
• Misogyny – the contempt or hatred of women
and girls

17.
H/W Activity
• Watch the first episode of series one of ‘Ashes to Ashes’ (2008, Kudos Productions)
and find examples from the text of misogynistic attitudes & behaviour by referring to
examples from the mise-en-scene (actions & dialogue, setting, props costume/make-
up, lighting, camera angles & framing). Make a table and print it.